Sons Honor Mothers in the Simmons Family

Scholarship Gifts Expand Legacies of Teaching, Learning

A family’s Simmons “legacy” can take many forms beyond having multiple generations of alumnae/i – as wonderful as that is. For a growing number of families, their legacy includes sons making gifts to honor their Simmons mothers, whether they were – or are – students, faculty, or staff members at the College. Behind each gift is a personal story.

Celebrating a Mother’s Commitment to Simmons

Mayo Shattuck recently gave $400,000 to create the Jane Bergwall Shattuck ’48 Endowed Scholarship Fund in honor of his mother’s inspiring commitment to Simmons College. This fund will provide support to ALANA (African, Latino, Asian, and Native American) students in good academic standing with demonstrated financial need to help ensure diversity of perspectives within the student body.

“This fund is a wonderful way for my family to reflect on my mom’s contributions to the College. It serves as a reminder that it’s never too late to express our pride and love for someone who has done so much to make our lives productive and fulfilling,” says Mayo Shattuck.

Jane Bergwall Shattuck ’48 left Simmons in her junior year to get married, but always hoped that she’d eventually receive her degree. That dream was realized 64 years later when she walked across the stage to collect her bachelor of arts degree at the 2012 Commencement.

"She really was thrilled by the opportunity to graduate with the other students," he says. "The interesting thing is she was always treated as a graduate. In a way, it’s like closing the loop over the years."

Jane Shattuck remained active at Simmons College, serving on the Simmons Board of Trustees, the Alumni Association Executive Board, the Sports for Simmons Campaign Committee, and as a class officer.

“I took a combination of liberal arts and business courses at Simmons because I wanted to be prepared for work,” she says. “The leadership opportunities I embraced at Simmons supported my volunteer work throughout my life.”

Her commitment to Simmons has included establishing the Jane Bergwall Shattuck ’48 Endowed Scholarship for Study Abroad which provides support for young women participating in international education initiatives.

Honoring their Mother’s Legacy

Jill McLean Taylor came to Simmons in 1990 as a professor of education, and later became chair of the women’s and gender studies department. Shortly after her retirement in 2010, she passed away.

Dr. Taylor’s legacy as a lifelong advocate for education and a champion of women's rights and social justice looms large in the lives of her sons, Alex, Tom, and Will Taylor. They are contributing $100,000 to create the Jill McLean Taylor Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of their mother’s legacy to benefit students from the Boston Public Schools with an interest in women’s and gender studies.

“Our mom gave us a deeper sensitivity toward the issues she was passionate about,” says Alex Taylor. “She had a big impact on her students, and we hope this scholarship will continue to move her life’s work forward.”

David Gergen Reminisces about his Mother, Aubigne Lermond Hickson ’29

“As for so many generations of women, Simmons was a seminal experience for my mom. While there, she deepened her curiosity and honed her skills as a writer -- qualities that enriched the lives of all who knew her for the next 60 plus years. She formed friendships that continued to blossom years later. And after school, she was able to secure a job in a book publishing house in Boston where my dad discovered her. Without Simmons, in short, I would never have had the privilege of being her proud and happy son.”

David Gergen is a senior political analyst for CNN and has served as an advisor to four U.S. presidents. He is a professor of public service and the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School.